I Know My Kingdom Awaits
by LoveBackwards
Summary: By the time she left she was calm and accepting.  She was wrong, they were right.    She wasn't sure she could deal with the reactions she would receive from what she once proudly called her nation.


_I'm coming home._

_I'm coming home._

_Tell the World I'm coming home._

It was strange, being outside for so long. Sure, she had some freedoms at the institution, but it was only near the end she got much alone activity. As she made her way to the Fire Nation Capital, Azula felt a slight anxiety. It wasn't like opinions mattered to her – especially those of Zuko and his friends; but she couldn't help but wonder what would happen.

Would she still be considered a princess? Would they demote her to a commoner? Would they even allow her to stay in the palace?

Would the servants still obey her? would she be trusted to her own chambers? Would the Avatar take away her bending, too?

She didn't dare look outside her veiled carriage. She didn't want to know what type of looks she'd receive. Did her people blame her for what almost happened? Were they even her people?

When she went into the institute, Azula was convinced she was right and the world was wrong. She was sure that she was an ideal leader, that she was only doing what was best. She told them over and over that destroying the Earth Kingdom had nothing wrong in it. she was hostile, too. She protested to being locked away a majority of the day, and refused to speak at group sessions.

Now, on her way home, she realized how much she had changed. She had come to terms that the action taken by Ozai was irratic and wrong. She started to view the Earth Kindgom as an equal, if not a superioirity. They, after all, were a more honorable nation. Maybe it was because she befriended a girl from there, or because it was exposed to her what a typical refugee went through based on stories.

By the time she left she was calm and accepting. She was wrong, they were right. A part of her wished she was locked away for the rest of today. She wasn't sure she could deal with the reactions (most likely glares) she would receive from what she once proudly called her nation.

_Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday._

_I know my kingdom awaits and they've forgiven my mistakes._

She could feel droplets tap her bare arm. She glanced outside occasionally – nobody seemed to be outside in the drizzle. She wondered if rain only really happened unexpectedly when the setting was supposed to be sad. That's the way it worked at funerals and everything, right? This was the Fire Nation's dry season.

"We've arrived, Princess." The chauffer came to an abrupt stop and she put her hand in front of her, just in case. She felt the shift as he got down and opened the door for her. her robes went ankle-length, in fact Zuko sent them to her just for this particular occasion. She let her sleeves down and was sighed. Such a fine fabric would be ruined in the rain; nice move, Zuzu.

She ran her fingers through her hair, the top of it tied in a bun only the Fire Nation seemed to represent. Her bangs went straight over her brow, though she did keep too longer strands loose at each end. Did she look presentable? The chauffer nodded in approval, as if reading her mind, and held his arm out to her. she scrunched her nose but reluctantly took it, letting him guide her to the gate entrance.

She felt her jaw slack, just a little. Here they were, her people, making a clear path for her to walk. At the top of the stone stairs stood the Fire Lord himself. Zuko smiled to her; he looked far more matured than she last remembered. His hair had grown over his shoulders, the top half tied back. Even in the Fire Lord's robes with the Fire Lord's traditional hair, he reminded her of Ursa. It irked her, but it was strangely comforting.

She made sure to walk slowly, holding her chin high as she walked by her welcoming nation. She let go of her guide as she approached Zuko. How dishonorable; he expected her to bow in front of him and thank him for her early release. She pursed her lips and one corner of his lip twisted upward.

"I'm glad you've recovered…" He whispered, never having been good at comforting. She sighed and nodded, there wasn't a need to be disrespectful. "I have someone who wants to see you…" He held his arm out and she looked away. Mai or Ty Lee? Or maybe it was the peace-loving Avatar. She didn't want to see them.

"Azula…" A somewhat-familiar voice whispered. She snapped her neck to look up quickly, only to stare in awe.

_I'm coming home, I'm coming home._

_Tell the World that I'm coming._

She bowed respectively at the waist to her mother, not sure how else to respond. She had always been so resentful but now, after the insight and help she'd received, Azula caught herself thinking about the warmth of her mother more than anyone. Ursa was always haunting her, especially after she started thinking about that delusion she'd had.

She looked up and Ursa pulled her into her arms. She tensed at the physical contact, it had been a while, but soon her muscles relaxed and she let her mother whisper her comforts in her ear. A part of her wanted to push her away and to curse at her. Ursa's neglect never helped her situation, only worsened it. the other part, however, wanted to hold her close so she couldn't disappear again.

Instead she let a tear slip down her cheek and leaned into her mother's embrace.

"I'm home…" She whispered.

**

* * *

I was originally going to make this a video; if I did I was going to use Yue and have more of a storyline. But I decided to write this out, instead. Well, I was going to write drabbles – Azula and Ursa, but then I found a way to tie Ursa into Azula's little series. This is all post-Crazula and kind of contradictory to the AU one-shot I wrote for her earlier, but I figured her concerns coming out of therapy would be a lot different than her concerns going into it. The intro of this song just caught my attention.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**


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